It’s a Stretch

CHERYL TEVIS02/12/2013 @ 11:07am
Cheryl has been an editor at Successful Farming since 1979.

Planning and preparation are essential to execute critical
farm operations. But few farmers ever pause to make sure their body mechanics
are up to a physical task.

Lincoln, Nebraska farmer Del Ficke has learned to approach
his farmwork in a more measured way, thanks to occupational therapist Anna
Lewandowski.

Ficke, 45, had his first back surgery in 1999. He had been
sitting in a tractor all day when he felt an excruciating pain shooting up
through his legs. “I didn’t know what was wrong,” he says.

By 2003, continued pain forced him to seek help at Nebraska
AgrAbility in Lincoln. “The best advice I got was to use a utility vehicle,” he
says. “I don’t have to throw my leg over it. It’s a smooth ride with less
vibration, and the seat is contoured. I carry everything I need in it.”